Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday administered oath to the nation to build the country as a developed, prosperous and non-communal ‘Sonar Bangla’ being imbued with the ideology of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee (of the Independence) and the Victory Day in the Mujib Year, I take oath in glowing voice that I will not let the blood of the martyrs go in vain, I will love the country, I will use all my strength for the overall welfare of the people of the country,” she said in the oath words, urging the people of the country to join her vow afresh.

The Prime Minister conducted the nationwide oath at 4:30pm from the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, which was broadcast live through Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other private TV channels.

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People from the country’s eight divisional cities and different grassroots places took the oath together with the Prime Minister. Bangabandhu’s younger daughter, Sheikh Rehana, was present.

The National Implementation Committee of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary Celebration arranged the event as part of the birth centenary and the Bangladesh's Independence Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Hasina also said under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh had achieved independence through a bloodstained liberation struggle against the exploitation and deprivation of Pakistani rulers.

“We’ll build the country as a developed-prosperous Sonar Bangla with a non-communal spirit. May the Almighty help us,” she said, concluding the oath.

The Prime Minister earlier urged people to join her to take an oath on the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's victory and the Mujib Year for building the motherland as Sonar Bangla to raise the head as a victorious nation on the world stage.

She greeted all the freedom fighters and the people on the occasion of the two great celebrations.

Chief coordinator of the National Implementation Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury moderated the function.

On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was liberated as an independent country at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million martyrs and the honour of 200 thousand women in a bloody nine-month war.

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Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu, in his historic March 7 Speech, asked the people of Bangladesh to turn every home into a fortress, remain ready to confront the enemy with whatever they had, as well as to form Sangram Parishad immediately under the leadership of Awami League in every village, union, sub-district and district.

“The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is a struggle for independence,” she quoted from the speech, adding that the people of Bangladesh followed his instructions word for word.

Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said at the early hours of March 26, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib declared independence of Bangladesh soon after the Pakistani occupation forces started crackdown in the dark night of March 25 in 1971.

"This is probably my last message. Bangladesh is independent from today. I urge the people of Bangladesh, wherever you are, to forge resistance with whatever you have. Resist the invading forces with your full strength. Continue fighting until the last enemy of the Pakistani occupation forces is driven out of the soil of Bangla and the final victory is achieved,” Bangabandhu was quoted as saying in the Proclamation of Independence.

The Bengalis had started confronting the enemies with whatever they had in line with the instructions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, said the Prime Minister.